Means for intermittently feeding the films in cinematographic apparatus



C. ANSELMI AND M. VITURRO.

MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY FEEDING THE FILMS IN CINEMATOGRAPHIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, I920.

Patented NOV. 15, 1921.

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MEANS FOR INTERMITTE'NTLY FEEDING THE FILMS IN CINEMATOGRAPHIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, I920.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

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Application filed June 17, 1920. Serial No. 389,751.

Be it known that we, CARLos ANSELMI and MARCELINO Vrr Rao, subjects of the King of Italy and of the King of Spain, respectively, residin at 2166 Espinosa street, Buenos Aires, epublic of Ar entina, have invented certain new and use lul Improvements in Means for Intermittently Feedin the Films in Cinematographic Apparatus, o whlch the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the devices for producing the intermittent feeding of the films in apparatus for projecting motion pictures and substantially has for its object the provision of a simple device for performin the intermittent traction or feedin of said films, being particularly adapted or use in connection with films not provided with perforations or in whlch the perforations are badly worn.

The device in accordance with this invention may be employed in connection with any of the known types of projection apparatus for motion pictures and may be applied thereto without any difiiculty.

The invention also views other objects which will be pointed out in the course of this specification and referred to in the final claims hereto annexed.

In order that the invention may be understood andcarried into ractice without difiiculties, a preferred em odiment of the same has been shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a complete apparatus for the projection of motion pictures, provided with the intermittent feeding means according to this inven; tion.

Fig. 2 shows a front elevation, drawn to a larger scale of said means, applied to the framing of the projection apparatus.

Fig. 3 is an upper plan view of said feeding means, and

Fig. 4 is a detail view, partially in section, of the cam which serves to operate said intermittent feeding device.

In all the said figures, similar letters. and numbers of reference have been used to indicate like or corresponding parts.

Referring to the diagrammatic view of Fig. 1, A indicates the frame of the (projection apparatus, B is the film, C the oor or gate of rojection and D is the-device for performing the intermittent feed. The normal continuous traction or feeding motion of the film 1s effected by suitable rollers, in-

dependently of this invention.

erring now to the remaining figures of the drawings, which represent a referred form of construction of this invention, 1 indicates two vertical guide rods, suitably mounted inthe frame of the apparatus, below the gate or door C. On said rods slide vertically the parts 2, provided with ears 3 in which are secured the guide shafts or screws 4, between which pass the jaws 5 of the film gripping device Said jaws are cut away at their central part, as clearly indicated by 6, so that they will exert pres sure on the film B only at the sides of the same. Said jaws are provided with pro'eetions 7, ending in screw heads, which allow of the adjustment of the larger arms or shanks 9 of the clamp. Between said clamp and the body part of the jaws, suitable springs have been arranged on the ends of the shaft 7, for the purpose of rendering resilient or yielding the action of said jaws on the film. The shanks 9 of the clamping device have an extension at 10, as will later be explained, and are pivoted by means of the screws 11 to a piece 12, mounted to oscillate at 13 in the frame of the apparatus. A spring 19, secured by its ends to the screws 18, serves to keep the shanks or arms 9 of the jaws normally open and by acting on the screw heads 7, the jaws 5 will be held open, thereby freeing the film. The part 12 ex tends toward the tail or end of the clamping device and at the sides of the same, carrying at the upper part of the clamp a part 20 secured by screws or otherwise and which serves to assure the exact motion of said clamping device. 14 is the free end of the tail of the clamp and the-two arms of the same are beveled at their extreme central part, so as to allow of the passage therebetween of a knife 15, mounted on the shaft 16 and provided with a cutting edge at its front part, for the purpose of effecting in a more gentle manner the separation of the arms 14 of the clamp, which determines the closure of the operating arms 9 on the jaws and in consequence, the ripping of the film. The part 12 is provide? with a bent extension 21, ending in a pivot 22, or stud, adapted to engage in the groove 24 formed in the cam 23. The cam 23 is mounted on the same shaft 16 which supports the knife for actuating of the tail of the clamp. The cam groove causes a rising and descending DSC11- latory movement of the tail of the clamp and, hence, the descending and rising movement of the'jaws 5 connected to the long arms of the same.

As will be clearly seen when inspecting Fig. 2, the shape of the groove 24 in the cam is such that the descent will take place abruptly as the guide 22 slides through the angle w-b and a moment before reaching a-b, the separating knife 15 will have performed its operation and will allow the spring 19 to open again the jaws 5, so as to leave free the film which had been conveyed thereby during the descending motion of the arms 9 of the clamp.

The operation of the device in accordance with this invention is as follows;

Vhen the picture is being retained in front of the projection gate, the jaws are open and the clamp, guided by the cam, will carry them upwardly, along the guides 1. When the jaws reach their highest position, the

cutting edge 17 of the knife 15 will enterbetween the arms 14 of the rear part or tail of the clamp and will close the jaws on the film against the action of the springs 19. After the jaws 5 have been pressed onto the film, as the cam continues its rotation, when the stud 22 enters the angular part ab of its track, said jaws will be caused to abruptly descend, the curve of the cam groove being calculated so that this descent will exactly correspond with the extension of one picture. A moment before said jaws reach their lowermost position, the knife will release the tail of the clamp and the jaws will be allowed to open, so that when said jaws reach the lowest part of their stroke, the film will already be free and the jaws, guided by the clamps and owing to the action of the cam groove, will reinitiate their ascending motion at each side of the film during all the time that the projection lasts. This cycle of operations is repeated in connection with the exposure of each of the pictures of the film.

If desired, some suitable means may be provided in the projection apparatus for adjusting and-securing the exact position of the picture in the projection gate or door.

Itwill be evident that several modifications of detail and construction may be in- I their opening and closing movements, as

well as'their oscillatory ascending and descending motion. For instance, instead of a single cam, an eccentric or other equivalent device might be used, all without departing from the limits of the invention 1. In an apparatus for the projection of I motion pictures having a film and a projector aperture, means for intermittently feeding the film past said aperture, comprising vertical guides formed integrally with the frame of the projector, a clamping member adapted to slide upon said guides and having a pair of gripping jaws normall maintained apart, a camcooperating witii said clamping member, connections between the cam and clamping member for imparting vertical motion to the clamping member, and a knife edged eccentric adapted to bring said jaws together at the highest point of said vertical motion, and permit their separation substantially at the lowermost portion of said vertical motion.

2. In an apparatus for the projection of motion pictures having a film and a projector aperture, means for intermittently feeding the film past said aperture, comprising vertical guides formed integrally with the frame of the projector, a clamping member adapted to slide upon said guides and having a pair of gripping jaws normally maintained apart, operating arms for actuating said jaws, vertical pivots for permitting said arms a swinging movement in a horizontal plane for effecting the opening and closing of said jaws, and a horizontal pivot for permitting said arms a swinging movement in a vertical plane for effecting the vertical motion of said jaws, a cam for rocking said arms about the horizontal pivot, and a knife edged eccentric adapted to rock said arms about their vertical pivots and bring said jaws together at the highest point of said vertical motion and permit their separation substantially at the lowermost portion of said vertical motion.

3. In an apparatus for the projection of motion pictures having a film and a projector aperture, means for intermittently feeding the film past said aperture, said means comprising clamping jaws mounted for vertical oscillatory motion and adapted to gri the film during the downward portion 0 said motion, operating arms for actuating said jaws, resilient means for normally maintaining saidarms in the open position, and a cam knife adapted to intermittently engage said arms and effect a closing of the jaws against the action of said resilient means.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures. 

